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Mammograms - False Negatives and False Positives

A breast cancer diagnosis is one of the scariest things you can hear from your doctor. Routine examinations and mammograms can help detect the presence of a cancerous tumor. Kansas City patients rely on the skills of the medical staff reading the exam results and the reliability of the test itself to serve as a barrier between themselves and a diagnosis that comes too late.

If a cancer is present, but missed on the mammogram, it is referred to as a false negative mammogram result. Understandably, this error can have tragic consequences and lead to breast cancer misdiagnosis. In particular, smaller cancers (those classified as being smaller than a grain of rice, or approximately 5 millimeters in size) may be difficult to detect. Although not as common, sometimes larger cancers are missed as well by the radiologist who reads the mammogram results.

Dense breast tissue present in pre-menopausal women can be another contributing factor in false negative breast cancer results. This is because younger breast tissue appears similar in color and mass to cancer masses on the mammogram. The milk ducts present in the breast tissue of pre-menopausal women shows up on the mammogram film as a white color, just like invasive (or cancerous) breast cancer does. The mammograms of older, post-menopausal women, on the other hand, tend to reveal cancerous tumors more easily as the breasts are less dense with more fat and less breast tissue. For both groups, however, early detection is key as benign tissue (pre-cancerous cells) are most visible as they show up resembling luminescent white dots on the mammogram film.

Medical error is another contributing factor to false negative breast cancer results. Radiologists do not have universal standards for recognizing results as abnormal. Varying levels of experience can cause accuracy rates to vary as well. Studies suggest that somewhere between 25 and 40 percent of breast cancers spotted on repeat mammograms were found to have been visible on the initial scan taken two to four years previously.

While helpful in diagnosing cancer, no test is ever perfect. Specific symptoms should always be evaluated by a physician, regardless of your last mammogram. If you notice:

• Lumps of any size
• Discharge from the nipple
• Discoloration, or any other unusual sign

False positive mammogram results occur when an original scan creates suspicion, but follow-up mammograms reveal no cancer. A small percentage, only about 5 to 10 percent, of abnormalities that show up on mammograms are cancer. In addition to repeat mammograms, some patients will undergo sonograms or biopsies as a follow-up to abnormal mammogram results. On average, one mammogram in ten will be labeled suspicious. Although a suspicious mammogram can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety in the patient, it is important to remember that an abnormal result does not necessarily mean a cancer diagnosis is inevitable.

What can you do to protect yourself from a false negative or false positive result? Be sure that the medical facility where you receive your mammogram screening is accredited by the American College of Radiology. Facilities should also bear certification from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992. Mammography facilities must meet minimum standards of equipment quality, image quality, and trained personnel operating the equipment. Check out the radiology staff before your test to ensure that your mammogram is performed in a facility that is staffed by board-certified radiologists.

False positive results can cause needless stress and worry. False negative results can rob a patient of precious time to treat the pre-cancerous and/or cancerous cells. A false negative result may mean the difference between a successful recovery and a death sentence. Inadequate test result interpretation, with all of its tragic potential, must be taken seriously. If you have believed you or someone you know has suffered because of false negative mammogram results and need advice, contact the Kansas City personal imjury lawyers at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys for a free consultation by calling 888-348-2616. Read more about medical malpractice by downloading your free copy of the resource guide The Truth About Medical Malpractice Claims.

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